Government banking on upland project to help reduce $9m import bill

Barbados is making headway in reducing its dependency on rice imports, with the upland rice production pilot project being heralded as a significant move towards reducing the $9 million spent on imports yearly.

Recently at the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC) in Fairy Valley, Christ Church, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Indar Weir said the project was heading into its second phase and highlighted its potential to transform the island’s agricultural landscape.

“Last year, around this time, I came here for us to do the first harvesting of upland rice, and that was the pilot project done between the Chinese and the BADMC. That project was a success, and so we’re here now this year during a second harvest of upland rice. This has proven that we can, in fact, grow upland rice in Barbados,” he said.

The project’s success, he added, had paved the way for an expansion into the Pine Basin, St Michael, where 15 acres of land will be dedicated to upland rice production. It also aims to offer local farmers the opportunity to grow rice.

“The Chinese are here providing the training. This demonstration plot has proven that we can grow it,” Weir emphasised.

The first phase of the project yielded 3 000 kilogrammes of upland rice, a variety known for its suitability in
water-scarce conditions.

“Of course, you know rice can be fairly water-intensive, and that’s the reason why we’re doing upland rice because we can do it without relying heavily on water. This pilot project here has demonstrated that it can be done with the water available to us,” the minister said.

Upland rice, a white rice variety commonly grown in China, has found a place in local cuisine, particularly in dishes like sushi.

Weir, however, was cautious about short-term expectations.

“Let me make this very clear: we are not going to be self-sufficient in rice in the short term. You need to get up to approximately 150 acres to tackle the four million kilogrammes of rice that we import. In Pine Basin, we’re only going to be at 15 acres, so we need to increase that tenfold to reach our goal,” he noted.

The project in Pine Basin is still part of the trial phase, coordinated with the assistance of Chinese experts. Weir acknowledged the importance of strategic and careful planning, particularly regarding water usage, to ensure the project’s long-term viability.

He said farmers involved in the BADMC project had shown keen interest in participating in the expansion.

“The numbers currently are small because these are only trials, but once this is proven and can be expanded, then many of the farmers in the FEED programme can be brought into planting rice,” Weir said, adding the goal is to establish a model where farmers grow on contract, ensuring a steady supply of rice for local consumption. “I don’t see us being able to replace [rice imports] very shortly. It will take time and planning but what I’m encouraged by is the fact that we can in fact grow upland rice in Barbados. After we have completed the project at Pine Basin, we can all look and see how far this can go.”

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